Cash-register.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witmuoeo No. 875,661. 'PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907. E. J. HALL. CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED $221213, 1904 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' s ecifically described with reference to the Ofi said drawings: Figure 1" represents a EDWARD J. HALL, or NATIONAL. CASH REGISTER COMPANY, or (INCORPQRATED m 1996.) p i I 1 misses our; inssoner, ASSIGNOR, BY M' sun ASSIGNMENTS; TQTHE DAY'lION, on c, A CORPORATION or 01110,

casni-smersrna.

- .rrogsz aeci.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 13. 19st.- Serial in; 224.334.

- massacres-31,1907.

, To all whom it may concern;

it known that I, EDWARD'J. HALL,- a citiscnof the'United States, residing at Kan sea-City, in the county of- Jackson and State oi Missouri, have invented certain new and Em rovernents in Cash-Registers, of I which I d cl'are the following to be a' full, clear; and exact description. 3 This inventionrel ates tohimprovements in. the key construction oi cash registers of the key-operated type, and has among its ob jects to' rovi'de-improved devices in registers oi this Eind for locking the keys to a commonoperating member during a certain 15 period of the operation-of the machine, and

also to provide an improved form of a socalled flexible key construction. Thisfiexi- I his key constructionas understood in'the present state of the art refers to a key which s given-an initial settin movement, while thefinal movement of the v ey or a part thereof is eiieeted by means of the operat on of other keys, so thatby 'this means several keys which it is desired to operate at one time may be started initially and then allot the mechanism ordinarily actuated thereby will be actuated! bythe mere depression of a single key, thus obviating the necessit of spanning several keys with one han in order to secure the simultaneous operation of these several keys. The general I type of key-operated registers to which these imrovements are shown as applied is set forth and described in Letters Patent to Thomas Carney, No. 497,860, dated May 23,1893, 1 and the machine is provided witha mechanism for throwing out the counter on the operation of the special transaction keys, this mechanism being similar to that shown in patent to Joseph P. Cleal, No. 748,261,-

ated 'Dec. 29, 1903, but it will readily be 'seen that, the present im rovements may well be] applied to any of t e various forms of key-operated re isters. g With these and incidental objects in view, the, invention consistsin certain novel fea tures of construction and combinations of arts, the essential elements of which are set orth in a pended claims and a preferred 7 form of enfiiodiment of which is hereinafter Y rawings which eccompanyand form part of this specification.

tit-side elevation partly' seetionalizc of a ma-- have ben 'ap lied;

impr se -5 5 counter 15.

chine to which the resentfilnprovemems I f 2- represents a detailview of t e artie j ar ke'y construction ,Y

forming the, basis of these improvements,

showing the ky -inpas'tlyoperated position; i

(and 3 represents the-same key given a u stillfurther' jextent "0t movement; 4

part of the key unlatching dem chine itself corn rises a serie s-of 0t amonnt'keys IOand specia transaction keys 11 pivoted n-poma transverse shaft 12 (see I Fi 7-1). To the amount keyslO are atlaughed graduated lifting bars 13 which oper ate registering segments-14 to o crate the 10.

he operation of see key also raises a suitable tablet indicator 16. The key-coupler 17 is common toall of the'keys and is' suitably ivote'd at 18 in the mam frame of the mac '11:: and is provirlied with an P5, e a noselQw 'c isa'rrange toe a slb ts ib med in the keysin a- Well. k h ot i manner to couple the operated keys together upon the opleration of the machine," By suitable mec anism (not shown) the opera- 80 tion of the key-coupler revolves; the main revolution shaft 20 and at each-operation of 1 I f the machine throws the counter '15 into (angagement with the segments 14. Thed'isenagement ofthe counter fromthe segments, 1s controlled by means of phi-rigors 21 moun ed inthe counter carryiniframe, these; hm

ers being beveled upon t eir ends and i sing orced inward against spring tension by means of arms 22 which are fast ton shaft 23?? to which shaft are attached plates 24: having slots 25 into which project pinsfifi' 9n the sides of the special keys 11, so that'the opera tion of any sppcial key will rock its late 24 and thereby, yrocking the arm 22, orce in.- '5 Ward the beveled ph r 21 and prevent "the v counter being thrown into 0 agement with the segments upon the operation of the machine v r The general construction of the machine'is 10 described inthe aforesaid patent to Thomas Carney, No. 497,860, and theFeontrolofthe throwout mechanism for t e counter is suli stantially similar to that shown inthe afore: said patent to Joseph Rfileal, No. 748,261, 106 consequently no further description of the, same will 'be given, referelioe bei had to; said patents for a more detailed exp auction;

. Coming nowtq thesubjec't matter of the present inventionthsspecial keys are the 110 socalled flexible keys and as each one is conthis upper side comes in contact with the key-coupler; In Fig. 1 this special ke is shown in its normal position and it'wil be observed that the key-coupler in its normal position rests upon the upper sides of the amount keys 10 whereas the upper side of the special key 11 is some distance below the key-coupler so that when the forward end of the special key is depressed thekey may have an initial movement before it comes in contact with the key-coupler and the coming in contact with the key-coupler in this manner denotes-to the operator that he has pressed the key to a suflicient extent, a sepa rate latch being provided as will be explained later, for holding the key in this initially. de

ressed position. As will also be observed 1n Fig. 1 the notch 32 of the special key normally stands opposite the engaging nose 19 of the coupler, and in the same horizontal plane with the corresponding notches of the amount keys. This initial movement of the special key as just explained carries the key into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the cut-away portion 33 of the special key is now in engagement with the ey-coupler, but the notch 32 is now raised to a higher osition above the engaging nose 19 of the {icy-coupler, while the corresponding notches of the amount keys remain in the same horizontal alinement with the engaging nose 19 of the key-coupler as shown in the. normal position of the keys in Fig. 1. This movement of the special key however so rocks the key about its pivotal shaft 12 that the forward and upper side of the notch 32 now lies in the path of movement of the key-coupler when the key-coupler is carried upward in the manner to be described, the key-coupler and key moving obviously about different centers. The special key now havin been moved to its initial position and late ed in such position from backward movement, the amount key is now operated, whereupon the key-coupler is given an upward move ment, its nose 19 thereupon engaging the slot of the particular mount key operated, and the key-coupler also strikes the forward and upper side of the notch 32 so as to engage the special key and carry that likewisev up with the key-coupler along with the amount so that near. the extremity of the mo a ent the key-coupler and special eraser key and amount key have assumed the position shown in Fig. 3, but it will be observed that since the coupler had to move a certain distance before it came in contact with and picked up the special key, the same space is now left between the key-coupler and the special key as existed in the normal position of the key and key-coupler as shown in Fig.

1,'that is, the space due to the cut-away portion 33 of the s ecial key. During this movement of the lieys, the locking and the tripping pawls hitherto referred to have become operative in the manner now to be explained. The locking 'pawl.30 is provided v with a notch40 into which the nose 41 of the tripping and latching awl 31 is arranged to engage at a certain polnt in the o the keys. The normal position 0 the pawls is asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, butas soon as the s ecial key begins to rise with the key-- coup er, the engaginghnose 19 .ofthe keycoupler acts against t e forward side of the pawl 30 and rotates the same upon its pivot, until the coupler has reached the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the pawl 30 has been so far rotated as to bring the notch 40 eration of to register with and be engaged by the nose 41 of the trippin pawl, and consequently the pawl 30 is now eld locked by thev tripping pawl so that it cannot rotate reversely about its pivot. It will be seen that the pawl 31' is both a latching and a tripping pawl.

Ordinarily the weight of the rearward end of the pawl 31 would be sufficient to cause it to turn upon its pivot to bring this nose 41 into engagement with the notch 40, but in.

order to make this turning positive, the pawl 30 is soshaped that its rearward head 42 will at the extremity of the rotary movement of the pawl 30 strike the upper corner 43 of the pawl 31, and the head 42 bein meanwhile carried rearward by the continued movement of the ke -coupler into the slot 32 will through the ead'42 positively act upon the upper sideof the pawl 31 to rotate the latter pawl about its pivot and thereby positively carry the nose 41 into engagement with the notch 40. To permit this operation,

of course the key must be capable of movement slightly beyond the position shown in Fig. 3, during which the head 42 would contact with the corner 43 as described, and then when the key begins to descend\ it would tend to cause a reverse rotation of the lockin pawl 30, but the same will now be locked by the engagement of the nose 41 with the notch 40 as shown in Fig. 3, and therefore the special key is in effect pbsitively locked to the ke -coupler and Wlll return with the key-coup er toward normal osition.

As soon as the keys and key-coup er have.

returned almost to normal position the tripping pawl 31 strikes the stationary cross-bar 44 of the machine which thereupon rotates the pawl 31 about its'pivotal point and dispartial movement of the key,

' cooperating with said key and said'coupling 4O initial movement, and a coupling member to which said key becomes coupled; of means 1. In a cash register, the combination with a key, and a member movable with said key; of a movable device pivoted upon said key for locking the key to said member after a In a cash register, the combination with a series of keys certain of which have provisions permitting an initial movement of the same, and a member common to said keys; of movable devices ivoted upon said ini tially movable keys or locking the same to said common member.

3. In a' cash register, the combination with a series of keys certain of which have provisions permitting an initial movement of the same, and a member common to said keys; of movable devices carried by said initially movable keys for locking the same to said commonmember; and meansfor latching said initially movable keys in such initial position. r

4. In a cash register, the combination with. a series of keys, certain of which have provi sions permitting an initial movement of this same, and a member common to' said keys; of movable devices carried by saidinitially movable keys for locking the vsame to said common member; and means cooperatin with said movable devices for unlocking said initially movable keys from said common member at the end of the operation of said member.

III

and arran ed to be operated by said key coupler to ock the key to the coupler; and a stationaryabutment arranged to tri 1 one of said pawls to destroy this lockin re ation at the end of the movement of the icy-coupler.

9. In a cash re ister, the combination with a special key aving provisions formed thereon for permitting an initial movement; and a key-coupler cooperating with said key; of two co-acting 'pawls pivoted upon said key and arran ed to be operated by said keycoupler to ock the key to the coupler ;'a stationary abutment arranged to trip one of 'said'p awls to destroy this locking relation at the end'of the movement of the key-coupler; a latch for retainin the key in initially operated position; an means operated by t e key-coupler for tripping said latch.

"10. In a cash register, the combination with a key having provisions formed thereon for ermitting an initial operative movement, ,an a key-coupler to which said key becomes coupled; of a locking key and arranged to e operated by said coupler; and a tripping pawl also ivoted upon said key and co-acting with said ocking pawl, said tripping pawl being formed with a nose for engagm a locking tooth formed on said locking paw to lock the latter in position to effect a locking of the entire key to the kt coupler.

11. in a cash register, the combination with a key having provisions formed thereon for permitting an initial operative move- 5. In a cash register, the combination with a key formed with provisions permitting an member to positively return. said key with said coupling member to normal position beyond its initially movable position.

6. In a cash register, the combination with a key formed with provisions permitting an initial movement, and a coupling member to which said key becomes coupled; of, means cooperating. with said key and said coupling member to positively return said key with said coupling member to normal position beyond its initially movable position; and means for disabling said positive returning means at the end of the return stroke of the key.

7. In a cash register, thecombination with a special key having provisions formed thereon for permitting an initial movement, and a key-coupler cooperating with said key; of two co-acting pawls pivoted upon said key and arran ed to be operated by said keycoupler to lock the key to the coupler.

8. In a cash register, the combination with a special key having provisions formed ment, and a key-coupler to which said key becomes coupled; of a lockin pawl pivoted to said key and arranged to l ve operated by said coupler; and a tripping pawl also ivoted upon said key and co-actrng with sai looking pawl, said tripping pawl being formed with a nose for engaging 'a locking tooth formed on said locking pawl to lock the latter in position to effect a locking of the entire key to the key-coupler; said locking pawl also bein shaped to contact with said trip ping pawl when operated to a certain extent y said key-coupler to positively o crate said tripping pawl to force said nose thereofinto engagement with said lockin tooth. 12. In a cash register, tlie combination with a key having provisions formed thereon for permitting an initial operative movement, and a key-coupler to which said key becomes coupled; of a locking pawl pivoted to said kc and arranged to be'operated by said cou er; a tripping pawl also ivoted upon sai key and co-acting with said locking pawl, said tripping pawl being formed with a nose forengaging a locking tooth formed on said locking pawl to lock the latter in position to effect a locking of the entire key to the key-coupler; said locking awl also bein thereon for permitting an initial movement, and a key-coupler cooperating with said key; of two hasn't-mg pawls p voted upon said key awl pivoted to said -special reys and co-acting with said locking 'With a series of amount keys and a series of special keys having provisions formed thereon permitting an initial operative movement of the same, and a key-coupler coimnon to both sets. of keys; of a locking pawl pivoted upon each special. key and arranged to be en gaged bysaid key coupler upon the operation of the same by any of said amount keys; a trippin pawl also pivoted upon each of said pawl, said pawls bein formed with projections which are force into locking position by the engagement of said coupler with said locking pawl upon the operative movement of said coupler, whereby the special key which has been initially operated is locked to said coupler during substantially the entire return movement of the same and a stationary abutment for engaging said tripping; pawl to de stroy said locking relation at the end of the I return movement of the key.

14. In a cash register, the combination with a series of amount keys and a series of special keys having provisions formed there on permitting an initial operative movement of the same, and a key-coupler common to both sets of keys; of a locking pawl pivoted upon each special key and arranged to be en-- gaged by said key-coupler upon the o. eration of the same by any of said amount keys; a tripping pawl also pivoted upon each of said. special keys and co-acting with said lockingpawl, said pawls being formed with projections which arci'orced into locking position by the engagement of said coupler with said locking pawl upon the operative movement oi said couplcr, whereb y the special key which coupler for rendering said latch inoperative has been initially operated is locked to said coupler during substantially the entire return movement of the same; a stationary abutment .for engaging said tripping pawl to destroy said locking relation at the end of the return movement of the key; a latch for latching said special keys in initial operative position; and means operated by said keyupon the return stroke of the key.

15. in a cash register, the combination with a series of amount keys and a series of special keys having provisions formed thereon permitting an initial operative movement of the same, and a key-coupler common to both of keys; of a locking pawl pivoted upon each special key and arranged to be en gagged lay said key-coupler upon the operation oi? the same by of said amount keys; a tripping pawl also pivoted upon each of said special keys and (no-acting with said locking pawl, said pawls being formed with projections which. are lorced into locking position by the engagement of said coupler with said locking; )awl upon the operative movement of said coupler, whereby the special key which has' been initially operated is locked to said coupler during substantially the entire return movement of the same; a stationary abutment for engaging said trip: ping pawl to destroy said locking relation at the end of the return movement of the key; a latch for latching said special keys in initial operative position; means operated by said key-coupler for rendering said latch inoperative upon the return stroke of the key; a

counter and counter operating devices controlled by said amount keys; and means operated by said special keys upon the initial movement thereof for preventing the operation of the counter by the amount keys.

16. In a cash register, the combination with a key, of a latching pawl pivoted on the side of said key, and a stationary abutment positioned to engage said latching pawl anddisable the latching iectiveness thereof.

17. In a cash register the combination with a key and a key coupler, of a pawl mounted on said key, and cooperating with said coupler to return the key to normal posi tion,

18. In a cash register, the combination with a key, of a key coupler, and a pawl mounted on said key and arranged to move under said coupler and to return the key to normal position.

In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD J. HALL. Witnesses:

G. A. LANE, GLEN SHERMAN. 

